Sri Lanka's Udawalawa National Park Gets New Access Road

28th August 2010, www.news.lk

A new access road will be introduced to the Udawalawa National Park enabling people to view locations that have not been sighted hitherto.

The Udawalawa National Park which spans nearly 80,000 acres of land,is located bordering the Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces. The access roads from the Uva Province boundary were limited to one side due to the Walave River.

The other boundary comes within the Sabaragamuwa Province. It spans 10,000 hectares and there is no entrance road from this side. A road network and an entrance to the National park from the Sabaragamuwa Province, constructed across the Handaganapura area in Balangoda, as a solution to this problem is nearing completion.

The road network, built according to a concept of Chief Minister Mahipala Herath has cost 2.2 million rupees. It consists of 18 small bridges. The construction of the bridges was launched recently.

Sri Lanka's Wildlife Sanctuaries Reopened. Kumana, a Bird Sanctuary and Lahugala, a Wildlife Park Famed for Elephants

30th January 2010, news.xinhuanet.com

Two of Sri Lanka's renowned wildlife sanctuary sites were reopened on Saturday after years of closure because of the conflict between the government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, a government official said.

Ananda Wijesuriya, director of the Wildlife Conservation Department said the two sites were opened to the public on Saturday were located at southeastern and eastern parts of the island.

Kumana, a bird sanctuary and a main eco-tourism attraction, is 312 km southeast of the Colombo while Lahugala, a wildlife park/ sanctuary reserve, is 318 km east of the capital.

They have been shut for tourists since 2005 when the fighting between the two sides escalated.

Both areas were under security clouds due to clashes until May last year when the rebels were defeated.

"After the end of the war we received security clearance," Wijesuriya said.

The end to the civil conflict has made Sri Lanka a major tourism attraction, the tourism authority said.